The Inca Empire, known as the Realm of the Four Parts (Tawantinsuyu), was the largest pre-Columbian empire in the Americas. From 1438 to 1533, the Incas integrated a large portion of western South America, primarily the Andean Mountains, through conquest and peaceful assimilation. Their territory stretched across modern-day Peru, western Ecuador, western and south-central Bolivia, northwest Argentina, and parts of Colombia and Chile. The empire's administrative, political, and military center was located in Cusco.
The Inca civilization rose from the Peruvian highlands in the early 13th century. Unique for its time, the Inca Empire lacked features associated with Old World civilizations, such as money or markets. Instead, they operated on a system of reciprocity, exchanging goods and services between individuals, groups, and Inca rulers. The Incas were notable for their monumental architecture, extensive road network (Qhapaq Ñan), intricate textiles, and innovative agricultural practices. They also used knotted strings called quipu for record-keeping and communication. The Inca Empire ultimately fell to the Spanish conquistadors, with Francisco Pizarro capturing and executing the last Sapa Inca, Atahualpa, in 1533.
